Outstanding Actions
Green Wall Talk: Following the guest speaker last month there was some discussion about the credentials of ‘green walls’ particularly given the amount of plastic, maintenance and energy required to keep them. We remain on the lookout for an eco-friendly version.
Event Updates
Wellbeing Day – the event on 4th May was well attended. Tristan spoke to lots of people about Wedmore Village Farm.
Worthington Woods Work Party – Initial date delayed due to the weather and a new date is set for 16th June. Action – All please attend with tools if able to help.
Fundraising – No Street Fair this year. Wedmore First School are holding a Summer Fair on Friday 19th July at 3:20pm. Invite for stalls is open. Possibly one for Tristan and the farm?
Group Reports
MITIGATION
Transport
Bus team attended Wellbeing day. Lots of interest but common complaint was about lack of buses returning in the evenings making trips out impractical. Cross-border issues with councils still remain on some routes.
Energy
No update from Emily this meeting. A presentation event at IOW Bowls Club is in the diary for 10th September. All welcome.
Wedmore Village Farm were successful securing funding from the Wedmore Power Co-Op to supply a solar array. This will allow them to continue operating off-grid for power.
Wilder Wedmore
Geoff Carrs will be appearing on BBC Springwatch on Tuesday 4th June discussing his Wilder Sensing business. Well done Geoff!
Theale Churchyard Project
The County Recorder recently attended and conducted a plant survey. 92 different species were recorded in the grounds including quaking grasses. Hugely diverse for such a small space. Now this has been concluded, the management plan and mowing can re-commence. Geoff has loaned some bird sensors which are being used to monitor species visiting. It is hoped these could be loaned to other community groups/schools etc to help them better understand the wildlife on their land.
ADAPTATION
The new woodland at Wedmore Village Farm is coming along well with over 250 saplings now planted. The Community Tree Nursery has about 55 trees. Thank you to everyone who has donated trees so far.
RESILIANCE
Food
The Wedmore Village Farm continues to grow. With successful funding for solar, and the plan to renovate the old wind turbine.
The first few deliveries of salads to local business Bluebird Café have been well received. The honesty box stall at the entrance has been renovated and will soon start selling surplus veg and flowers.
A funding application has gone in to the Bluebird Community fund for a new sharing library to be based at WVF with the help of Men’s Shed.
AOB
Kate and Russ were congratulated on their ‘Enviro Quilt’ a handmade quilt featuring lots of different eco issues. It was launched at the Wedmore Festival Art Exhibition and is already booked in for more community events.
Anthony gave a word of warning after suffering an expensive invasion of jackdaws underneath his solar panels which subsequently caused a lot of damage to the roof. Check regularly for wildlife – birds, squirrels etc and install guards.
Steve discussed the key role of Somerset Wildlife Trust in terms of advocacy for nature and the climate emergency. Much work would be done over the general election campaign to question candidates on their views and plans. SWT will be attending local hustings and holding an online Somerset hustings event on 19th June where reps from all local candidates will be invited to.
https://www.somersetwildlife.org/general-election-2024
Guest Speaker – Vanessa gave an update on the work of the Somerset Eel Recovery Project and their charter, including the eel conference planned for 5th July, straw rope workshops, tanks in schools project, eDNA sampling, collecting social history stories and much more.